Ambitious as you are, Sir, of a bad character, you have not always been fo. In your boyish years I remember you bade fair for goodnefs and wildom; perfonal accomplishments feemed to embellifh mental worth, but the influence of bad company upon a latent difpofition changed your conduct, and eftablished your character. Wealth fupplied the means, and you thought it might argue a want of proper fpirit not to employ thofe in the ruin of innocence. I know that many have fallen victims to your arts, who had little befides reputation to give a diftinction between them and the worthlefs. The conqueft over fuch was eafy, and there fore to you fatiating and unfashionable. To deftroy virtue when a principle of the mind, and a guide to the actions, feemed a more glorious undertaking, you entered on it with a malignant fpirit, and purfued it with ardor. Had your cruelty been confined to them who wanting wealth want friends, it is probable we might have remained ignorant of it; but when you dared to degrade rank equal to your own, to infamy equal to your own, your balenefs could no longer be concealed. When I review the arts which you practifed in the ruin of that beauteous unfortunate, who has juft left the world, I know not whether to be moft indignant against your profligacy, or to wonder at the ingenuity which marked every step you took. In reputation and fortune you know the family to be equal, if not above your own. This daughter's education was the only pleasure of her parents declining days. Her mind was carefully inftructed in every worthy fentiment, and it was a pleafing reflection that her early conduct spoke her to be amiable, ingenuous and fenfible-a companion for her parents, the virtuous, and herself. But unhappily there is in female youth a critical period, when fenfibility of foul leaves them fufceptible of many impreffions; and, while it is experience only that can guide them to difcriminate between those impreffions, her few years kept her ignorant of that experience. It was this period you made choice of for the accomplishment of your defigns. You interpofed ere the law of right and wrong, the nice boundaries of prudence, were eftablished; you laid your plans with penetration and fubtlety, and concealed their depth with hypocrify. The object of your artifice had not yet learned that one may finile and deceive; and at a time when the believed every one to be as much a friend to fincerity and undifgulfed truth as herfelf, you taught her, by fad experience, what happier families only know by report, that an ingenuous foul is ever in danger from the machinations of a defigning world. Vice only found a friend in your breaft: it occupied the whole; there was no space for fympathy, or reflection; you neither weighed the confequence to her, like a man of tender feeling, nor dreaded the confequence to yourself like a man of prudence. Deflitute of reflection yourfelf, your whole ambition was to make her fo, to throw her off her guard; to fafcinate, by the language of a charmer, her whole fenfes, and, by the actions of a profligate, to undo the enchantment, and leave to her eyes, and the eyes of the world, the wreck of happiness and of character. Reflect, Sir, if a more recent opportunity to ruin and deceive, has not driven them from your memory, reflect on the circumftances which you could not but observe in the course of your progrefs, and fee if in all these there were not many to have interrupted your purpose, and created your esteem instead of enmity. Were there never times when your heart checked you, and obliges you almoft to revoke? Could neither youth, nor beauty, nor innocence, find even a momentary friend in your thoughts? Did you never dread the refentment of her friends, and the contempt of the good part of mankid? Were your vices only permanent, and all your better refolutions tranfitory? They were. To feel for another's woe was a leffon you had never known. You had learned to plant thorns in a happy breaft, but never to pity the inifery you had occafioned. Convinced that your pleafure lay in the gratification of lawless paffion, you indulged every impulfe: you forgot that your duty was to reftrain those by reason, character, humanity and confcience. You had not even the merit of a coward, for he attempts the life of his enemy; nor had you the tenderness of a brave man, for he weeps over the wound he has made. Continual licence, and continual encouragement, gave rapidity to your career; you found company congenial to your mind, and poffeifed opulence fuited to your wants and your extravagance. When I was perfonally' acquainted with you, you did not feem ignorant of the ways of men, or unacquainted with the movements of the heart; and it is thus you have acquired and extended your knowledge, by fubjecting others to your fatal experiments. You knew how to court the approbation of that fair one; you fpared no art, and you gained it, but it was only to defpife the good nature that bestowed it. The credulity of youth and innocence was a fanction to your attempts, and favoured them. In the language of flattery you deified moderate qualifications, and raised frailties to perfection. You knew how to improve the most trifling advantages, and were regardless of difficulties and dangers. I with I wish that it were in my power to boaft, that in fpite of all your arts, the confequences of them have been confined to one alone, that Mifs was the only fufferer by her crime and your guilt. No, Sir, your cruelty has extended even beyond the grave. You never were ignorant of the worth of her parents, nor a ftranger to their friendthip. This daughter was their only comfort, faved from the wreck of a numerous family. She was the tender care that made life defirable. But the horrors of their difappointment are defcribable only in their moft obvious effects. So baneful and speedy have those been, that in all probability ere this reach you, there will not be an individual belonging to the family alive, to reproach you for your baseness. Think on this mournful calamity, if you can, with a fmile of confcious pride and power. Trace back the fteps which led to it, boast of their fuccefs to your un feeling accomplices. Tell them you havetriumphed over virtue, you have triumphed over humanity, you have deferted the dif tressed object, and have sent her into the cold grave. -Make them laugh at that. But, Sir, although you may carry pride to the loweft earth, your power draws apace to its period. Health, even with temperance and virtue, has neither permanency nor certainty. Pensive moments will come to make you wretched when you least expect, and leaft can bear them. The days of your feeming profperity wear to their end; your pleasure decays in every enjoyment. All the ferenity which feems to light you the way to happinefs, is but the mockery of a deluded mind. A cloud of mifery hangs over your head to darken the days of remorfe, and when thofe come, as foon they must, you will be the firft to pronounce, that you are unfit to live, and the laft to think that you are ready to die. Be affured, that the burthen of mifery which awaits yourfelf, is heavier far than any you have heaped on another. If not, Referve this letter for the first interview, you have with yourfelf. If that interview be of your own feeking, it may prove a friendly diffuafive. and you be driven by difeafe to feek death, it will join with your bittereft reflections, and your end will be miferable as your lefe has been vicious. Remarkable Account of a Battle between two Snakes. (Written by an American Farmer.) SI was one day fitting folitary and penfive in my arbour, my attention was engaged by a strange fort of ruftling noife at fome paces diftance. I looked all around, without diftinguishing any thing, until I fome fometimes to the one fide, and fome- Commonwealth of Massachuffets: Commerce. HEREAS it is become expedient W and neceffary for this Common or wealth, to make fome commercial regulations for the encouragement of their own trade: Therefore be it enacted, by the Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, and by the authority of the fame, that from and after the firft day of Auguft next, and during the continuance of this act, there fhall not be exported from any port, harbour, creek, bay, or inlet, river, or fhore, or any other place within this Commonwealth, any goods, wares, merchandize, the growth, manufacture, or produce of this or any of the United States, in any fhip, veffels, or craft of any kind, belonging (either in whole or in part) to, or being the property of any of the fubjects of the King of Great Britain. Provided nevertheless, and whereas proclamations and orders have been inlued by the governors of feveral parts of the Britih dominions, for prohibiting veffels belonging to any of the United States from entering their ports or trafficking there. Be it further enacted, that in cafe the faid proclamations and orders fhall be reverfed, and open trade allowed to fuch veffels, and the governor of this Commonwealth being certified thereof, fhall by advice of Council publicly fignify the fame by his proclamation, then thall the foregoing claufe of this act be difcontinued, and fhall ceafe to operate during the time fuch open trade fhall be allowed. Gent. Mag. Nov. 1785. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, that from and after the faid first day of Auguft next, if any fhip, veffel or craft of any kind, as aforefaid, be found in any port, harbour, or creek, or any other place within this Commonwealth, taking on board, or having taken on board while in this Commonwealth, any of the articles aforefaid, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, every fuch fhip, vefiel, or craft, together with their lading, fhall be forfeited, and shall and may be feized by any naval officer, collector of excife, or his deputy, or by any other citizen or citizens ofthe United States, and the fame may be iffued for, profecuted and recovered in any court of record within this Commonwealth, proper to try the fame; and after deducting the charges of profecuting the fame, from the grois produce thereof, the remainder fhall be given, one moiety to the perfon or perfons who fhall have made the feizure and profecuted the fame, and the other moiety Thall be paid into the treafury of the Commonwealth, for the use of the fame. And be it further enacted, that from and after the firft day of Auguft next, there fhall not be taken out or landed from on board any ship, veffel, or craft, not wholly belonging to, or the property of the citizens of the United States, any goods, wares, or merchandize in any port, harbour, or creek And be it further enacted, that from aud after the first day of Auguft next, there shall be paid by the master, owner, or confignee of every ship, vefiel, or craft, owned either in part or in whole by any foreigner at the time of entering the said ship, vessel or craft, into the hands of the naval officer of the ports of Boston, Falmouth, and Dartmouth aforefaid, for the use and benefit of this commonwealth, a duty of five fhillings per ton, for each and every ton faid vessel may measure by carpenters measurement, and a farther duty of two fhillings and eight-pence per ton, as light money, in addition to what by law they are now fubject to pay, for the ufe and fervice of the light-heeles; and likewife pay unto the collector oz. Dddd mation) that the faid poft or excife, for the counties of Suffolk, Cumberland, and Briftol, double the duty on the goods imported in faid veifel, as is or may be paid at that time upon the like goods imported in a vetiel belonging wholly to the citizens of the United States; and a further duty of fixpence fhall be paid upon every bufhel of falt imported in any fhip, veffel, or craft, owned either in whole or in part, by any of the fubjects of the King of Great Britain, and previous to their breaking bulk, they fhall give bond to the faid collector for the payment of the fame. Provided nevertheless, that the faid duty of fixpence per bufhel on falt, fhall not be paid in cafe an open trade fhall be permitted in the British dominions, and during the continuance of fuch open trade; fuch permiffion to be fignified by the governor's proclamation, as aforefaid. And whereas fome perfons for the fake of enjoying more extenfive privileges in commerce, have had double sets of papers for their veffels, in order that they might appear the property of one nation or another as might beft answer their purpofes; for the prevention of which impofitions : Be it enacted, that from and after the firft of August next, any vel which may appear to have two fets of papers, by the one of which the may appear to be the property of the citizens of United States, and by the other the property of foreigners; or if it fhall be made to appear, that any veffel that has cleared at any naval-office in this Commonwealth, as the property of the citizens of these states, shall afterwards enter and difcharge her cargo taken in and clear ed as aforefaid, in any foreign port, as the property of a foreigner; faid veffel, upon her return into this Commonwealth, fhall be forfeited and feized by the naval-officer of the port where the may be found, or by any other perfon or perfons, who may profecute for the fame, to be recovered, and the money arifing from fuch forfeiture to be applied as aforefaid, and the mafter of fuch veifel fo offending, fhall forfeit and pay for the ute of this Commonwealth, a Tum of rocl. to be recovered as aforefaid. And be it further enacted, that each naval-officer in this Commonwealth, previous to his admitting any veffel to an entry, fhail adminifter the following oath or affirmation, to the maiter, or one of the principal owners thereof, (provided faid veffel fhall appear to be the property of the citizens of thefe States) and certify it on the back of the register (if not done before) in the following words: 178 Port of Then perfonally appeared before me one of the principal owners (or the comunander, as the cafe may be) of the and made folemn oath (or affir is the fole property of the citizens of the United States, and that no foreigner, directly or indirectly,hath any part or fhare therein. Naval-Officer. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, that if any naval-officer, or his deputy, fhall prefume to enter or clear any vellel contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, or if any navalofficer, collector of inpoft and excife, or their deputies, fhall neglect any of the duties required of them by this act, he or they fo offending or neglecting their respective duties, fhall forfeit and pay the fum of 300l. one moiety thereof for the use of this Commonwealth, and the other moiety thereof for the ufe of the perfon or perfons who may profecute for the fame, to be fued for, and recovered in any court of record in this Commonwealth, proper to try the fame; and in addition thereto, fhall be rendered incapable of any further exercise of his or their respective offices. Provided nevertheless, that nothing in this act fhall be conftrued to prevent any fhip or veffel built in this Commonwealth, and owner either in the whole or in part by any of the fubjects of the King of Great Britain, from taking a cargo upon her firft departure from this Commonwealth, upon the fame terms, and no further restrictions than if said veffel was owned by the citizens of thefe States. And be it further enacted, that this act shall continue in full force until the United States in Congress affembled fhall be vested with competent power for the purpofe, and fhall have paffed an ordinance for the regulation of the commerce of thefe States; and the period may arrive when the faid ordinance is to take effect, and no longer. In the House of Reprefentatives, June 23, 1785,This bill having had three several readings, pailed to be enacted. NATHANIEL GORHAM, Speaker. In Senate June 23, 1785. This bill ha ving had two feveral readings, passed to be enacted. 1 SAMUEL PHILIPS, jun. Prefident. By the Governor, Approved. JAMES BOWDOIN. Atteft. True copy. A general Defeription of the Country at the T high terms by fea-faring men, parti- cularly by fuch as have been there only for voyage voyage of feveral months duration, are ufu- For my part, not to lead my readers into any error concerning this point, the account I here give of the Cape has not been writ ten without fome confideration. The town itself is the only one in the whole colony, and is properly called the Cape, though this name is often injudicioufly given to the whole fettlement. The above-mentioned town is fituated between the fhore and the north fide of the mountain, which, in confideration of its apparent equa-, lity of furface, has obtained the name of the Table. According to the meaforement of the Abbé de la Cailies, the fhore of this bay is 550 toifes above the furface of the fea, and 1344 toifes in length, when taken from Eaft to Weft; the middlemoft part of it being fituated South-eaft of the town, and 2000 toifes from it. Duyvel's-Kop, (the Devil's-Head), call ed by the English Charles's Mountain, is in a great meafure connected with the Table Mountain, but is full thirty-one toifes lower, and at the fame time is peaked and bare.Leeuwen-Kop, called by the English the Lion's-Head, and likewife the Sugar Loaf, is a lil more feparated, but lefs elevated, than the former: the fame may be faid of its neighbour, the Leeuwen-Staart, called by the English the Lion's-Rump, and likewife the Lion's Tail. From one of thefe, fignals are given, by the firing of guns, for every vellel that comes that way, and appears bound for the harbour. When they approach ftill nearer, a flag is hoisted on this mountain, which ferves for a fignal to the Captains of the Dutch fhips; but nobody but they and the governor of the Cape know, how the colour of the flag is to be varied for each refpective month. The intention of this regulation is, that a Dutchman who is coming into the harbour may immediately know, if the harbour is fallen into the hands of the enemy, and accordingly take care not to run into it. The above-mentioned hills are in a great measure bare, and that part of I able Mountain that looks towards the town is pretty fleep. The bushes and trees (if they may be fo called) which here and there grow wild, are stinted partly by their own nature," and partly by the South-Eaft and NorthWeft winds. Hence they, moft of them, look dried up, with pale blighted leaves, and, upon the whole, have a miferable appearance. Some of them, fheltered by the cliffs, and at the fame time watered by the rills that run down the fides of the mountain, may perhaps be fomewhat more healthy and vigorous; but they are univerfally deficient in that lively verdure which adorns the oaks, vines, myrtles, laurels, lemon-trees, &c. planted at the bottom near the town. Still farther on, the dry healthy lands and fandy plains on the ftrand, contribute to give the country an arid and barren look. It must be owned, indeed, that a confiderable quantity of the most beautiful African flowers are fcattered up and down in different parts during the fine feafon; but they cannot fhew their fplendid colours to any great advantage among the various kinds of grafs here, which are moftly perennial and of a pallid hue, among the dry bushes, and in the fields, which, at leaft near the Cape, are almoft continually grazed off.Thefe plains, therefore, cannot captivate the eye, nearly fo much as the European Flora, with her green meadows replete with annual grafs. I am ready to allow, indeed, that the verdant plantations, together with a few acres of arable land round about the town, make a beautiful appearance, oppofed to the African wilds and deferts with which they are furrounded, and which ferve to fet them off to a greater advantage; but then clipped and trimmed trees, with regular plantations of groves reared up by art, cannot fo long keep their ground in our tafte, as that lively verdure of nature, which a European, at leaft after having refided for fome time at the Cape, I think cannot help miffing. The town is fmall, about 2000 paces in length and breadth, including the gardens and orchards, by which one fide of it is terminated. The ftreets are broad, but not paved; a great many of them are planted with oaks. The houses are handsome, two ftories high at the moft; the greatest part of them are ftuccoed and white-washed on the outfide, but fome of them are painted green this latter colour, which is never feen upon our houses in Sweden, being the favourite colour with the Dutch for their clothes, boats, and ships. A great part of their houfes as well as Dddd 2 churches |